Process for the production of crimped fibers, filaments, and threads



Apnl 28, 1953 H. M. HEMMI 2,636,250

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRIMPED FIBERS, FILAMENTS, AND THREADS Filed Nov. 25, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 a. a wM Ai 8, 1953 H. M. HEMMI 2,636,250

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRIMPED FIBERS, FILAMENTS, AND THREADS Filed Nov. 25, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig.2

like character than Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRIMPED FIBERS, FILAMENTS, AND

THREADS Hans Martin Hemmi, Basel, Switzerland, assignor to Sandoz Ltd., Basel, Switzerland, a Swiss firm Application, November 23, 1946, Serial N0.-711,928 In Switzerland December 10, 1942 .5 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of my patent application Ser. No. 514,178 of December 13, 1943 (now abandoned).

The present'invention relates to a processfor the manufacture of crimped fibres, of all kinds and of any suitable material as stated below hav-' ing a high crimping degree and which may be destined for further use in view of producingan association of fibres. I

With the expression fibres reference is also made to filaments, threads and association of fibres. The materials, of which such fibres are made, may be natural ones, for instance hair or synthetic fibres such as for instance cellulose or regenerated cellulose, proteinic fibres, such as 'lanital, asyn-thetic high polymeric substance, a thermoplastic material, glass,- silicon, metals,

natural orartificialsilk, cotton, etc., these fibres essing to permit the crimping operation to -be conducted by the process of the present invention. The fibres hitherto known which were crimped lneander-like crimping.

A not her object of the invention is to ,realize "a crimping apparatus with which it is possible to imp-art to the fibres or the like a meander-like crimping.

Stillanother object-is to realize fibres or the like having a meander-likecrimping' and being assuming a crimped set by virtue of the presence, v, of a heat-settable ingredient either in the fibre per se, or associated with the fibre during procstable' to boilingin alkaline soap solutions.

Other objectsa'ndadvantages of this invention will become apparent from the following descrip- "-tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

in a mechanical manner and which areused assuch for the production of an association of fibres always possess sinusoid or spiraloid crimpings. However, it has been foundthat fibreshaving a meander-like'crimpinghave amuch more woolfibres with sinusoid or spiraloid crimpings. I I} The expression crimping has a 'well' known technical signification; and is determined byjthe crimping number and crimping" degree. 'jjlhe crimping number indicates the number of crimpings present in a length of- 1 cm. andis determined on-a fibre in unstretched condition by counting the crimping arcs. The crimping degree indicates the relation betweenthe length but less than a complete circle and which are put together in such a manner that there will be "turning points between two consecutive circle portions which can lie in the same or difierem planes.

The primary object of the present, invention is to impart to the fibres or the like to be treated a meander-like crimping by means of an apparatus which is fit for this purpose; whereby crimped Figure 1 is a-longitudinal section of a crimping 5 apparatus of which the middle part is broken out;

Figure 2 is a sectional viewtaken on the line II-II in -Figure 1, and

Figure 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a meander-like fibre'produced on the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and-'2. i 1 The crimping apparatus according to Figures 1 r and} has two superposed pairs of link chains'a, -'b and c,-z Z- ,j the sprocket wheels-a b and 0 d of which are-fined-on four correspondingly arranged shafts e, f, g and it, one ofwhich is extended to one side "and-forms at the sametime the driving shaft of the apparatus. The chain locks of all the linkchains are provided with exteriorly'projectm supporting arms a b 0 d respectively, which for eirrresponding chain locks axially alignedof the chains :1, b or c, d are interconnected by means of cross bars m or n of circular crosssection. Thus, as can be taken from Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus shown therein, comprises two superposed caterpillar-like chain assemblies the cross bars m and n of which engage each other from opposite sides when the apparatus is running. In this manner two opposed movable -inter-engaged rows or sets or adjacent cylindrical to the apparatus. The diameter of the cross bars canvaryaccordingto'the desired crimping numher and can for instance be 1.7 mm. It is also possible to vary the depth of. the reciprocal engagement of the cross bars by arranging the upper or the lower shafts of the apparatus so that they can be adjusted in vertical direction. The fibres or the like which are to .be crimped are supplied to .the apparatus from one frontal side of the latter as shown in Figure 1 and are forced to pass through the whole assembly as soon as they are gripped by the first cooperating cross bars 112 and n. On their way through the apparatus the fibres will be submitted to the opposite action of the cross bars m and n which will impart to them a meander-like crimping form as is shown in Figure 1.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the distance between the axes of two adjacent cylinders or bars or or n of the same set in the crimping zone is less than twice the diameter of such cylinders, whereby the effective crimping surface ofth interengaged cylinders is in cross-section more than a half circle but less than a complete circle so that a corresponding cross-sectional configuration is imparted to an. elongated member interposed between the interengaged cylinders in said crimping zone.

The fibres can be natural or synthetic fibres. If it is desired to stabilize the produced crimping, the fibres may be impregnated for instance before passing through the apparatus with a hardening agent or an agent capable to be hardened, the material being hardened either during the passage of the fibres-through the apparatus by a heat treatment eitected by means of per fcrated heating tubes 2' -(Figure 1D or after having passed the apparatus. If the fibres are made of thermoplastic material, thegpart of the apparatus through which the fibres enter is heated to the necessary temperature, while the exit part thereof may be cooled, if necessary. The length if oi-the apparatus is so chosen that the fibres are heated. during a sufiici-ently long period and then I ing a much more wool-like character andto lose this property toa. much smaller extent when washed. g r The above used expression wool-like" should not-limit the invention to meander-like crimped fibres "which are usedior textile. purpcses' Such fibres can be used in all fields where such an. of-

rect is desired.

Bythe expression "association of fibres is meant fabrics formed for instance by weaving or lcoitting; The meander-like crimping of the fibres prepared according to the present invention is characterised by the fact that it possesses turning points or changes in the olirection of the fibres set by crimping and further by the relation existing between. the distance of th endsof the fibres in crimped and in stretched form. When measured in unstretched condition, the said distance between the ends of the crimped fibres and/or filaments must be less. than. of the distance of the fibres ends .measured in stretched condition.

In order to fix the meander-like crimping of the fibres the same maybe treated in a wellknown manner as such or in form of associated fibres with hardening agents, like formaldehyde,

eration, e. g. to 1,00-150 0., whereby the hardening takes place. After such a treatment the meander-like crimping of the fibres is fixed and becomes stableto boiling.

Figure 3 shows a meander-like crim'ped fibre produced according to the present invention and obtained by redissolving the treated knitted goods. The distance A to A is less than of the distanoeB to B. The distance B to B will be obtained, if the curled fibre is measured under stretching.

What I claim is:

1.. A process for the manufacture of a crimped elongated element containing a heat-settable ingredient which. comprises subjecting an uncrhnped elongated fibrous element, which is. to be crlnlped, to the action of two .sets of crimp: ing members consisting of intereng-aged cylinders disposed so that the distance between the axes of two adjacent cylinders of the same set is less than twice the diameter of the said cylinders, the diameter of all the cylinders being the. same, whereby an effective crimping surface is formed which in cross-section for each cylinder, more than half a circle but less than a complete cirole so that .a corresponding cross sectional con figuration is imparted to the elongated element in contact with such crimping surface and heating the fibrous element.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the elongated element is'alternately in contact with opposite crimping surfaces of successive cylinders so that the. crimping or the element is meander-like in cross-section and consists of arcuate portions extending over more than half a-circle but less than a complete circle, which ai'cuate portions are interconnected by connect ing points which are also turning points.

3. A process according to claim 2, comprising the further step of treating the said element with a water-soluble Synthetic resin precondensation product.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the elongatedelement is, alternately in contact with opposite crimpin surfaces of successive cylinders so that the crimping of the element is meanderh ke in cross-section and consists of arcuate portions extending. over more than half a circle but less thana complete circle, which arcuate por tions are .,interconnected by connecting points which. are also turning points, and comprising the iurther step of coating the said element with a water-soluble synthetic resin precondensation product.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the elongated element is alternately in contact with opposite crimping surfaces of successive cylinders so that the crimping of the element is meanderlike in cross-section and consists of ar-cuate. portions extending over more than half a circle but less than a complete circle, which arcuate portions are interconnected by connecting points which are also turning points, and comprising the further steps heating the element being crimped and of fixing the same in crimped state by subjecting it to the action of a water-solubleureafonn'aldehyde condensation product.

' HANS MARTIN HEMMI.

.(Beferences on following page) 5 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Re. 7,668 171,357 2 7 9 14 63 12 03 31 Name Date Cutter May 8, 1877 Cutter Dec. 21, 1875 Wessel Feb. 6, 1900 Wessel Mar. 15, 1910 Anders Jan. 2, 1917 Dreyfus Aug. 24, 1937 Cobb June 11, 1940 Number 10 Number Name Date Dreyfus July 23, 1940 Caldwell Sept. 8, 1942 Dockerty Mar. 9, 1943 Masland Jan. 23, 1945 Truitt Feb. 20, 1945 Getaz Feb. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 24, 1936 

